How the size is measured
A hexagon's size here is the length of one side. That is how English paper piecing templates are sold (a "1 inch hexagon" has 1 inch sides) and the easiest number to check with a ruler. A hexagon with side s is 2s tall from point to point and about 1.73s wide from flat side to flat side.
What people use it for
- Tabletop game maps: every neighbour is the same distance away, so movement has no diagonal shortcut.
- Quilting: print 1 inch or 1½ inch hexagons on card stock and cut out paper-piecing templates.
- Chemistry: benzene rings and other ring structures sit neatly on a small hex grid.